YouTube has temporarily suspended and demonetized the channel for pro-Trump outlet One America News Network. OANN will be barred from publishing videos and live streams for one week, and will need to reapply to the YouTube Partner Program to regain its monetization status.
The suspension is the first “strike” for OANN under YouTube’s terms of service. YouTube uses a three-strike system, with repeat offenders ultimately being removed from the video platform.
“Since early in this pandemic, we’ve worked to prevent the spread of harmful misinformation associated with COVID-19 on YouTube,” said YouTube spokesperson Ivy Choi in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “After careful review, we removed a video from OANN and issued a strike on the channel for violating our COVID-19 misinformation policy, which prohibits content claiming there’s a guaranteed cure. Additionally, due to repeated violations of our COVID-19 misinformation policy and other channel monetization policies, we’ve suspended the channel from the YouTube Partner Program and as a result, its monetization on YouTube.”
YouTube has removed more than 200,000 videos since the beginning of the pandemic related to COVID-19 misinformation. The company removes videos claiming that there is a cure for the virus or that the pandemic is a hoax, as well as videos discouraging people from seeking medical attention.
